


Killing Kings

by WordObsessed



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fantasy AU, Logan Sanders - Freeform, Logince - Freeform, Magic, Medieval AU, Multi, Roman Sanders - Freeform, Some Violence in later chapters, Villain Deceit Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2020-05-15 17:06:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19300057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordObsessed/pseuds/WordObsessed
Summary: Fate tends to favor royals and sorcerers, and fate is definitely going to interfere with the lives of a particular Crown Prince and royal sorcerer's apprentice.





	1. Presentations

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome one and all to the royal court as the tale of a lifetime unfolds right in front of you. It's with great pleasure that I present to you... Killing Kings

Did Roman ever question his wealthy, safe life as prince? Not really. Not until he met Logan.

For him, it started when the royal sorcerer presented his apprentice. His mother had particularly wanted him to attend this event for some reason, and so he sat alongside her, watching the crowd.

They were at the head of the room, with the various advisors and lower level politicians seated below.

Magic was a completely separate facet of society, one anyone could learn, but few did. This is why the presenting of Virgil's latest apprentice was such a big deal. He had trained a few before, but they had chosen to take their skills farther, to other lands or worlds beyond. They never stayed, being allowed a glimpse of what was beyond the castle walls. Roman wondered vaguely if this one would have the strength of character to remain.

An announcer called out, "All rise for the Honorable Royal Sorcerer Virgil!"

Everyone stood- position of Royal Sorcerer tended to be only a stone's throw from Roman and his mother, and they joined the others in going through the motions of respect, because even they were not above magic.

The doors opened to admit an agingman in deep purple robes, followed hesitatingly by a boy in grey robes, looking properly intimidated by the sight before him.

As they passed, the advisors and politicians took their seats, falling like a wave until the two arrived at the throne, where only the royals remained standing before them.

The boy took his place to the right of the man, and they both bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, we are honored to be in your presence," the man said.

The royals sat, and the queen answered, "I am pleased to be here for this debut. Please present yourself and your apprentice to the court."

"Of course, Your Majesty." The two stood, and turned to face the assembled. "I, Royal Sorcerer Virgil, present to the court my newest apprentice, Logan of western Aigne."

Whispers immediately broke out, and Roman was surprised why Virgil had even bothered to mention where his new apprentice was from, although to be fair, it would have been stranger if he hadn't. Indeed, it was expected for Logan to hail from their kingdom, but the west? People who lived there tended to never even step foot in the palace, let alone serve there.

Goodness, Virgil was getting himself tangled in another scandal. He tended to infuriate many people with his very nature, but this would only fuel the fire.

"Thank you," The queen raised her voice above the disturbance. "Logan, please face us."

The boy turned, and caught Roman's eye. His were wide with uncertainty, but steely in a way that Roman had never seen. Such an unusual character.

"Why do you want to be a sorcerer's apprentice? Most westerners are content with their lives, unless I have been incorrectly informed?"

"No, Your Majesty. However, I can't stand to be ignorant. I find that those who lack knowledge are the ones who lack life. I would like to live, Your Majesty."

Roman was hardly breathing. This was a westerner, who could spar with words as easily as himself with a sword. There was no doubt about the magic running in his veins.

"Very well. All rise for our newest sorcerer's apprentice, and may fate look upon him more kindly than some."

There was a slight hesitation- rising for not only the Royal Sorcerer but his new westerner apprentice who would no doubt end up like the rest seemed ridiculous, but that had been an order from their queen- in the end, they all stood, and the two robed individuals swept from the room.


	2. Learning

Logan wanted to drop the stoic appearance the minute they left the royal hall, but Virgil gestured sharply for him to keep looking professional until they reached his chambers.

"They can't see you as anything other than the respectful, perfect sorcerer's apprentice, dutifully attending to your studies to be the best you can," He said with a sigh as soon as the guards had situated themselves outside the closed door.

"But you saw what they did! The minute 'west' left your lips, they all stopped caring!" Logan threw down his hood, glaring at his mentor.

"And that won't stop anytime soon. You're here for a reason, Logan. I'm going to keep it that way."

"And how am I going to earn any respect with them already having something against me?"

"How have you gotten this far already?" Virgil snapped back.

Logan stared at the floor. "Can we start? I know you had to wait for the queen's approval, but can I start learning now?"

"Of course. Come on." Virgil unhooked his robe and hung it on a hook, and Logan followed suite.

His chambers were simple, with a foyer for him to entertain any guests or clients, with bedrooms and other living spaces to the left, and his workspaces to the right.

The actual workspace was packed with magical equipment, but so well lit and organized that it didn't seem so.

"Wait here a moment," Virgil said, and disappeared through a side door. He reemerged with a small stack of books, and placed them on the table.

"Now, the first thing I'm going to have to tell you about is bonding, because it might take you the rest of your training to complete it." Virgil took a deep breath. "Logan, are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"Of course. I haven't come this far to give up now."

Virgil smile wryly. "I'm serious. You can still back out."

"Do you want me gone or something?"

"No. I'm just making sure, because I don't want you regretting anything."

"I won't. I'm ready for this, I know it."

"Fine." Virgil grabbed a book off the top of the stack. "Bonding is mentally linking yourself to another person. Magic is too strong to be maintained by one person, so we have to have a release, both mentally and physically. Physical is achieved by casting spells and all the sorcery things people think of. But the mental is achieved by bonding. You can't become a full sorcerer without having a bond."

The lesson lasted for over an hour, but as he was wrapping up, there came a knock on Virgil's chamber door.

"I hear it," he called to the door guards. "Give me a moment." He turned back to Logan. "Does that make sense?"

His head felt like it was being stuffed with information, which was honestly one of his favorite feelings in the world. "Yes, I think so."

"Great. I knew you caught on quickly. That was probably a client at the door, I'd like you to glance over these two books in the meantime."

Logan took the books. "Thank you."

"No problem." Virgil picked up the other books to put back in the side room, and Logan left the room to go back to his room, across from Virgil's.

But as he was crossing through the foyer, he heard something that almost made him pause.

"...Your Majesty, I don't...."

The queen was here.

He made a conscious effort to keep moving as if he had not heard, and once the door of his room closed behind him, he put the books on the small desk and began to wonder what in the world the queen wanted with Virgil. Of course, the queen consulted her Royal Sorcerer plenty, that's why the position existed, but from what Virgil told him, he was usually summoned to her, not the other way around. Unless, of course, she was there to talk about him...

He decided to listen in. He managed to peek out of his room enough to see when Virgil came out of the lab. He, too, looked shocked at the appearance of the queen, but he quickly lead her to the other side of the foyer where there were several chairs- out of Logan's sight.

He snuck forward, until he was near the edge of the wall, and listened.

"You know I would, under normal circumstances..." the queen was saying.

"But he's western," Virgil finished for her.

They were definitely talking about him.

"No. Please, don't make this any harder for me than it already is."

"Harder for you? How about harder for us? Harder for him? Scarlet, that boy-"

"That boy is going to kill nations, Virgil. You're just giving him the tools to accomplish that."

"I'm keeping him from doing that! I've outdone fate before, I'll do it again."

"But have you really? I mean, what about-"

"Don't."

"I just meant-"

"Don't!"

With that, silence fell over the room. Logan slid back to his room, and grabbing a book, glanced it over before walking back towards the foyer, stepping loudly enough that they would hear him coming.

"Oh! Your Majesty, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," he said, bowing his head.

"No, no. It's fine." The queen said, but her tone still held traces of the ice that had been directed at Virgil earlier.

"Logan, why don't you go introduce yourself formally to the prince?" Virgil said, quite suddenly. "It would do you good to get to know him, especially if you are going to serve as the next Royal Sorcerer."

"Yes, Virgil." He turned to return the book to his bed, then ignored the harsh whispers that halted as soon as he returned. He grabbed his cloak and allowed a guard to lead him to the chambers of the Crown Prince.


	3. The Crown Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm actually getting back into this story. The next few chapters will be posted soon, they're prewritten, and it might slow a bit after that, but I'm going to finish

"I know the schedule, Pat," Roman complained to his attendant as said attendant flitted around his room completing small tasks.

"Oh yeah? Say it."

"Dinner with Mom, Dad, and some stuffy noble tomorrow-"

"Lord Quincy."

"Right. Then the day after that I was promised that I wouldn't be needed for anything so that I could work on sword practice."

"Of course you'd remember that."

"And the day after that is Mom's birthday ball."

"Alright, maybe you do know the schedule after all," Patton sighed. "And what-"

He was cut off by a royal guard entering.

"Sorry to intrude, Your Highness. The royal sorcerer's apprentice has requested an audience with you."

"Really? Whatever for?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Your Highness."

"Very well, bring him in."

The guard ducked back out the door, and Patton bowed his head. "Might I be dismissed, Your Highness?"

"Of course."

His attendant left without a word, and the next thing Roman knew, he was being faced with the man that would change his life.

"Greetings, Your Highness. I was sent here by Virgil, he said I should take the chance to introduce myself to you personally."

"Really? Interesting." Virgil had never done that before. The man was full of surprises with this apprentice.

"I am Logan of the west, son of Ariana, humble apprentice to the kingdom of Aigne's Royal Sorcerer."

"Are we simply swapping official titles now?" Roman smirked. "I am Prince Roman, son of Queen Scarlet and sole heir to the throne of Aigne."

"If we're trying to be impressive, I believe you win, Your Highness."

"Well, I'm sure I do. I do have a question though. Why did you come all the way here from the west? You know your lineage, that has to account for something."

"I know my lineage because it is knowledge. As all citizens, I respect my mother enough to include her in my title. As I told Her Majesty, I came here to gain access to the palace's- and all the south's, for that matter- opportunity to learn. I want nothing else."

"Is that why Virgil chose you? You seem well with your words, he probably wanted someone who could withstand this court when he's gone."

For the first time since he entered the room, Logan looked fazed.

"What do you mean?"

"You're probably his last apprentice. He'll ask you to take over his position, since all his other ones took their services elsewhere."

"Oh. He didn't tell me that."

"Yeah, as soon as an apprentice is gone, he never talks about them again, waits a few years, then takes on another one. You're the first westerner, though."

"I think I could tell by the court's reaction."

"Don't take it too harshly. Here, let's change the topic. Are you coming to the ball?"

"What ball?"

Roman gave him a look, then started to laugh. "Wow. I thought you were serious for a moment."

Logan's face stayed blank. "Your Highness?"

"Oh my stars. You were serious." Roman shook his head. "Does Virgil tell you nothing?"

"We weren't allowed to start lessons until today!"

"Right, right. At least tell me you know how to dance."

Again, his face reflected no flicker of recognition.

"Alright then! In two days time, my mother's birthday ball is coming up. It's one of the biggest celebrations of the year."

"Oh, the Queen's Ball. Where all-" he cut himself off, bowing his head.

"Where all?" Roman prompted.

"Never mind, it's not of importance."

"O-kay? Well, I'm going to teach you at least a waltz. You need to impress these people, come on."

"Your Highness, are you sure?"

"Of course. I'm the prince, I can do what I want. Come, and you might want to take off that cloak, it'll get in your way."

"Very well." Logan did just that, folding his cloak neatly and laid it on the floor before joining Roman in the expanse of empty space in the room.

"Okay, so you start here, with your hands..."

Roman guided Logan through the moves until he found the pattern.

Right, back, touch, left, forward, touch, repeat.

Running through this, Roman very suddenly worked in a spin, pulling Logan with him.

"I'm leading, by the way," the prince said.

Logan couldn't help it, he laughed.

Roman couldn't help it, he laughed.

They laughed, and the world exploded.


	4. Magic

Roman had never felt so much pain.

Logan had never felt so much pain.

"It's happening. I'm being poisoned. Or maybe he stabbed me. He wants my throne."

"I knew he wasn't just being nice. He's going to kill me and cover it up and everyone will believe him because he's the prince."

Roman was dying.

Logan was dying.

And then they weren't. The pain cleared as suddenly as it had come, and they pulled apart, both panting hard. Somehow, they had ended up on the ground.

Logan heard a thump towards the side of the room, and looked to Roman to ask what it was, but he was still staring at the floor.

"What- just happened?" The prince asked.

"Don't look at me! Did you do something?"

"No! You're the magic person here, it was obviously you!"

"Wait..." Logan trailed off, then took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Woah woah woah! What are you doing? Don't-"

"I'm helping. Nothing is going to happen to you."

He took another breath and began to focus. Focus on his thoughts, slow them down, and- there! Amidst the calm he was inducing, growing increasingly more prominent, was a running undercurrent of panic- caused by Roman.

When he opened his eyes, he could feel it twice as clearly as before. Rushing uncertainty, wild confusion. But then, they started to calm down a bit.

"Logan? What's- I can feel-"

"I know. Okay, we have to go back to Virgil's, this is a problem."

"What's going on? I'm the prince, you can't leave me in the dark like this!"

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, alright. Just don't say anything to your guards, alright?"

"Alright."

"There's this thing in the world of sorcerer called a bond. It's a....mental link? Every sorcerer has one, but it's usually a very deliberate process, and I didn't do anything."

"What the h-"

"We don't have time for this, come on, we can go to Virgil and probably get it reversed."

"Probably?"

"Nothing in this world is certain! Follow me or not." Logan finally gave up and turned to the door.

Roman stood up and followed him. "Hold on, let me handle the guards."

He stepped just outside the door. "As Logan and I were having a wonderful conversation, we came upon an intriguing question neither of us could answer. We're going to Virgil's chambers to inquire with him."

"Very well, Your Highness." The guard replied.

Logan came out into the hallway, and they were followed by a trio of guards as they made their way through the hallway.

As the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens, and this proved true when the main door to Roman's chambers was shut, the attendant's door opened noiselessly to admit Patton, who had such a ghastly pallor that he almost collapsed onto the floor where the two young men had been only moments earlier. He had seen the whole ordeal.

"I forgot to mention, Her Royal Majesty was here." Logan murmured as he and Roman approached.

Roman raised an eyebrow. "But my mother-"

"They were talking about me," Logan said shortly. "I hope she isn't still here."

Logan stepped forward to knock. He was allowed to simply enter if it were just him, but if there was someone else accompanying him, he had to knock.

Virgil opened the door, and looked less shocked than Logan had expected. He assured Logan's guard that he could stay in the hallway, and Roman did the same.

When he led the two inside, Virgil shot Logan a questioning look. To be fair, the situation looked peculiar.

"We, uh, have a problem," Logan said once they were situated in the parlor.

"Oh?" Virgil shifted back into his chair.

"Okay, so, we were talking about the ball in a couple of days, which led to the fact that I couldn't dance, so Roman offered to show me, and so he was, and we were laughing about something when all of a sudden it felt like my head was exploding, and my bones were all being shattered at the same time. It hurt so much, Virgil. It happened to both of us, and when we pulled apart, I could hear his voice in my head."

There was a pause as Virgil took in this information. Finally, he pointed a finger to Roman. "Could you hear Logan's voice?"

"Yes."

"Can you hear it now?"

Roman hesitated before answering. "Yeah. I have to listen, though. When it first happened, it was louder."

"Logan, can you hear it?"

"Yes. His thoughts are just quieter than mine."

Virgil laced his fingers behind his head and stared at the ceiling. "Does it look like anything?" He asked. "When you close your eyes and focus on what the other is saying, does it look like anything?"

There was a pause, then Logan said. "Roman's thoughts look like red fireworks."

"Logan's look like blue cursive."

Virgil breathed out slowly, then looked back at them.

"I don't know how you did it, or why it happened, or anything like that. All I know is that you guys have bonded."


	5. Trust

Roman gave Virgil a blank look, while Logan was spluttering.

"What do you mean we bonded? All the signs point to it, but it has to be something else! You said bonding was a very deliberate process, and I just learned about it today! Besides, I never intended to bond with him, it's not possible."

"Logan, I don't see any other possibilities." Virgil said. "Being able to visualize the other's thoughts is singular to bonding. I suppose if..." he sighed. "... _fate_ wanted to get involved, two people could be bonded instantaneously, with no effort on either part."

Roman waved his hands. "Anyone want to clue me into your sorcerer jargon? Is this the telepathic link you mentioned earlier? And what does fate have anything to do with it?"

"Yes, I suppose you could call a bond a telepathic link, although it's a little more complex than that. Fate tends to be attracted to royals and sorcerers, so if this is happening to both of you, I wouldn't be surprised if something beyond our world is pulling strings," Virgil said. "What did you say to your guards to come over here?"

"I said Logan and I were talking and had a question neither of us could answer so we wanted to ask you."

"Partially true, I guess. I think it would be best for you to go back to your chambers, and come back in the morning. Logan and I can try to puzzle things out here in the meantime. But to be honest, you two might just have to get used to a bond."

"But..." Logan whispered under his breath. He and Ro- no, he and Crown Prince Roman had forgotten, if only for a moment of excitement. They were not on equal footing, and never would be.

But the prince was just nodding, oblivious to the facts. Logan stayed silent until he finally left.

Patton was waiting when Roman returned to his chambers.

"Good evening, Patton," he greeted his attendant with a smile.

"How was your meeting with the sorcerer's apprentice? Was it fun?"

Roman's head prickled, a reminder of the crushing pain he had experienced only a short while before. "It was pleasant enough."

"Did you take him back to Virgil's chambers?"

Something twisted in his gut. There was something off about Patton's questions. He could hear Logan's thoughts getting louder, but he ignored it, giving a big yawn. "Yes, we were talking and wanted to ask him a question. It wasn't important. I'm rather tired, I'll probably be going to sleep soon. You're dismissed, goodnight."

But Patton didn't bow and leave. He faced Roman and asked, "Why were you dancing? What were you doing?"

Roman's stomach dropped. What did Patton know? "Why is it of any concern to you? I was being friendly."

"You're the Crown Prince. You can't go around messing with westerners like that. Besides, sorcerers aren't to be trifled with. They can do so much more than just party tricks. He could easily kill you."

"What? Are you talking about Logan or Virgil?"

"Both! You can't trust anyone who deals in magic. Remember that." Patton stepped back, still not smiling. "Goodnight, Your Highness." He stalked from the room.

So Roman went to bed uneasily. He listened to Logan's thoughts for most of the night, hearing him fret over magical terms that mostly went over his head. He tried to keep his thoughts from shouting, but still a small part of him wondered if Patton could have been right.

The next morning, he didn't have much to do, so he wandered down to Virgil's, where the door opened before he knocked. Virgil let him in, and Roman saw the whirlwind of books and papers and even a couple cauldrons all throughout the chambers.

"Did you guys even sleep last night?"

"Not much, I'm afraid," Virgil replied. "Logan said you were up late enough anyways."

"Yeah," Roman rubbed the back of my neck. "Can I help?"

"I don't think so. We're not finding much, and none of the related research is close to being what we need. But Roman, you need to be very sure to not tell anyone."

"Um, I didn't tell anyone, but my attendant, Patton, saw us dancing. I don't know if he saw the actual... bond, or heard us talking about it, but I at least know he saw us dancing."

"I'm sorry, what?" Logan was suddenly in the room, looking tired and panicked.

"I think it'll be okay, he's not one to talk, but I don't think he likes either of you much, he said something about staying away from sorcerers."

"You know your attendant's name?" Logan asked incredulously at the same time that Virgil asked, "Patton?"

"Yes to both of those? Why wouldn't I know my attendant's name?"

Logan just shook his head. "Nevermind."

"Would the palace's library have any books?" He asked abruptly,hoping to change the topic before the conversation became any more strange.

Virgil nodded. "We were going there once we were done here."

"Alright. I guess I'm not helping, I just wanted you to know about Patton. See you tomorrow?"

He received mumbled affirmations from both the sorcerers, and left. He wasn't used to being the confused one, the one that couldn't get what he wanted simply by ordering people around. It was new, and he didn't like it much.


	6. Tradition

They had gone through almost every book in Virgil's extensive library, and Logan was learning more about magic than he had ever dreamed. They had even tried a few experiments and potions, never actually applying them, just testing, but nothing came even close to what they wanted.

"Virgil, what are we going to do?" Logan hissed, throwing down another novel. "I can't be bonded to a Crown Prince! The court would want my head on a pike. They would never just sit back and tolerate this."

Virgil was pulling books off a shelf. "They aren't going to know. That's why I told Roman to tell no one, and I'm going to try to make sure Patton doesn't tell anyone either."

"What are you going to do? Banish him?"

Virgil shook his head. "He doesn't trust magic. There was an incident several years ago that made sure of that, so I don't think he's going to be very tolerant if he figures out just how deep this magic is running with his prince. I could put in a recommendation to Scarlet to have him removed, or transfer him to another part of the castle... Logan, this is a precarious situation. I can't just go banishing seemingly random servants while the Crown Prince makes sudden appearances to my chambers. I may not care what the court thinks, but I can't have them getting suspicious either."

Logan mulled over this for a moment. "You're right. Do you think it's time we move on to the royal library?"

"I do. Let's clean all this up, and I can get more energy tinctures for the both of us."

"I would greatly appreciate that."

An hour later, the two split up in the large library to do more research under the guise of it being for Logan's training. Not that they needed much of a guise anyways, people tended to believe anything when magic was involved. Except, as it seemed, Patton.

He was around the library quite a bit, as the two found out. First on the edges of the magical sections, doing as much as he could to skirt the two sorcerers, yet still taking books to study. Virgil was worried he was catching on, but his worry increased to panic when Patton started frequenting the archives.

"What's so bad about the archives?" Logan asked.

Virgil, running on probably even less sleep than himself, waved it off. "It's a long story," he gave a nervous laugh. "But if he keeps going at this rate, I'm not going to be here for much longer.

"Here?" That sentence was confusing at best and downright insane at worst. It demanded clarification.

But Virgil never listened to demands. He was already off to Queen Scarlet's throne room.

To his credit, Roman was amazing at a lot of things. Having good timing was not one of them.

"Uh, so, Patton has kind of disappeared?" He said, bursting into Virgil's chambers the next day.

Virgil massaged his temples. Logan nodded wearily.

"Did you even hear my thoughts? It'a all we've thought about for the past two hours."

"I was busy, alright?" Roman threw up his hands. "But can we focus on Patton? I did happen to hear you two worrying about him being in the library so much, what's so wrong with all of that?"

Virgil gave Roman a sharp look. "That's not for you to know."

"What do you mean? I deserve to know what is going on with my attendant, who has disappeared from my castle just before my mother was going to transfer him."

"I will let you know what you need to know when you need to know it. Right now, yes, Patton is missing. That's the extent of your knowledge. I have an apprentice to train, I wish for you to leave my chambers so I could do that."

Downright stunned, Roman pursed his lips and left, internally vowing to come back later when he wasn't at such risk of being ripped to shreds by the sorcerer. He had been ignored, and actually challenged. He shook his head. But once again, Patton's last words to him echoed in his ears. "You can't trust anyone who deals in magic. Remember that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Patton, what have you done?


	7. Life Moves On

True to his word, Virgil did all but abandon the search for a way to sever the bond between Logan and Roman in favor of training his apprentice.

"I've tried before," he admitted in a daze of exhaustion one late night. "There's no way, you're stuck with it."

So Logan just continued his apprenticeship, with occasional conversations with Roman through their thoughts in the purple of twilight, when they were both unoccupied by duties to the crown. Roman was learning to rule the kingdom, as Logan had forgotten when they first met. He wasn't just an entitled, arrogant rich boy. Mostly, but not entirely.

Roman was starting to understand just how lonely he was in the castle. Virgil had basically banned him from the magical section of the castle, Patton was gone, and his mother and father were too busy to offer much comfort. So he applied himself to his role of Crown Prince for possibly the first time in his life.

And life moves on. Stories always revolve around the life-changing, where nothing is right and excitement is the norm. But what happens when the eye of the storm passes over and there's nothing to help carry the main characters farther from their lives? What happens when they have to face consequences before the climax? Before the resolution, where everything works out? What happens when questions are still unanswered and the characters still have a lot of suffering to endure?

"Scarlet? We have a problem."


	8. Invasion

Night was a blessing and a curse. It provided the perfect cover, but that cover would soon be ripped off to reveal tragedy.

It started with a scream as the Queen, Prince Consort, Crown Prince, Royal Sorcerer, and countless other important figures within the palace were attacked by silent figures slipping through the halls. They were bound and dragged to the great hall, where they were then separated.

As the sun rose bleeding red over the kingdom, the castle and outer walls had been completely seized by these enemy forces, and the new king was quite happy about it.

"I want the Royal Sorcerer brought to me," he declared to the guards watching over their most valuable assets.

And Virgil knew what was going to happen even before he was led into the throne room, to lay his eyes on the man he hadn't seen in years.

"Deceit," he said, chin raised, almost able to ignore his bonds to glare at his former... what? What do you call someone you trusted with your very life only for them to betray you by ripping all happiness from you, without ever looking you in the eye?

"You're scared, don't even try to hide it," the king said lazily. He stood, and approached Virgil, smirking.

"That isn't a one way card, I know exactly what your plans are, I know which of the guards are weak, I know how to get out of here-"

"And yet you won't," Deceit interrupted him. "You have too many connections here. Why do you think you could bluff? That's my mastery, not yours, remember?"

He changed course, walking towards a large window overlooking a sparkling part of the kingdom. "You have an apprentice."

"He doesn't know much yet."

Deceit turned just enough to catch Virgil's eye. "How sweet, you're not even trying to lie. You almost told him, didn't you? You knew that even if he stayed here, I would still get my revenge on you. I would still take your kingdom-"

"This has never been my kingdom. It's always been Scarlet's."

"Oh? I suppose that after one magical mishap, she didn't want to chance another one with you?"

Virgil's eyes darkened. "I can't believe you. Don't speak ill of the dead."

Deceit laughed lightly, as if this were nothing more than party conversation accompanied by a touch too much wine. "I've done nothing but speak the truth. Go on, talk to your beloved queen. I'll allow it."

"I will never forgive you."

"I don't expect it. You've always been like this, you couldn't have changed so much. Don't bother with any more empty threats. No need to monologue like a fairytale villain."

So he didn't. Virgil just grit his teeth and allowed himself to be led away.

A few minutes later, he was with two of Deceit's guards, in a mostly empty, dusty room. The door opened, and the queen, with a matching set of guards, was ushered in.

They sat facing each other on the cold stone floor for a long moment before Virgil spoke.

"He called this my kingdom, not yours. I don't know what he's after, he insulted Lili, he wants to kill Logan just like the rest of them. Scarlet, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know. But I want him off my throne. Have you seen Roman?"

Virgil shook his head. "Logan?"

The queen just stared at the floor. "I don't know what to do."

"Scarlet..." Virgil took her hands. "I need you to be strong. For Lili, and for all the apple pies we could never make."

A flare of recognition went off in the queen's eyes. She gave a single nod, and Virgil squeezed her hands, whispering something. Before the guards could even move, the queen disappeared.

They were on Virgil in an instant, but all he could think of was how he had no other choice.


	9. Truths

Roman was starting to realize that his life as Crown Prince was a lot more preferable than that of a prisoner. He had started yelling for Logan in his mind as soon as he had been attacked, and only got a groggy "What?" before Logan was yelling too. But he wasn't mindlessly screaming, it was attacks and attempts to escape even with the bag over his head and at least three strong guards overpowering him.

Once the two were settled, they started talking, and despite Roman's protests, Logan tried various more methods of escaping, with each failing, before giving up. And all of that was before Roman got two of the biggest shocks of his life.

It was probably late morning when Logan mentioned his mother.

"You knew about the queen's bond, didn't you?"

Roman was so stunned that he didn't respond for a full second. "I'm sorry, what?"

Logan sighed. "Your mother was bonded to a sorceress a few years before she took the throne. I found it in one of Virgil's journals on accident while we were researching."

"You're going to have to give me more information than that."

"I don't know all that much. Just that your mother allegedly fell in love with the sorceress who cured her own mother's illness, and they bonded. But only months before your mother took the throne, the sorceress- her name was Lili- was killed on suspicion of practicing necromancy. Your mother has only ever told Virgil. I thought you deserved to know."

"Yeah, thanks." Roman didn't direct any more thoughts at him, but Logan could still hear the disbelief rolling around in Roman's skull.

Only an hour later, Roman's guards told him he was going to have an audience. He was lead to a mostly empty, dusty room and the bonds on his wrists were finally removed. Two guards stood directly in front of the door, with two more in front of the sole, tiny window.

He sat on the cold, stone floor and waited for whatever was going to happen. Logan asked him a question about what was going on, and he answered as best as be could.

But then the door opened, and there was Patton, a confused expression on his face. He walked up to Roman and sat opposite of him. The guards immediately shut the door and remained their posts.

"Roman, who are these? They're not the usual guards."

Roman didn't say a word. "That's what you start with? Don't you have a clue what's going on? How did you get back here without being captured? Or are they ignoring the attendants? Why are you even being allowed to see me? Where were you? What did you do?"

Patton blinked at the assault of questions. "What are you talking about? Roman, this is going to help, I just had to go get help."

"How is my entire family being taken away and probably locked up helping? You're involved in this?" Roman looked like he was going to cry. He held out his wrists to Patton, who gasped at the sight of the red marks left there by the binds.

"Why don't you explain what's going on?" Patton said. "I don't think we understand each other."

So he did. Roman filled him in on what had happened since he disappeared, with as many details as he had about the invasion.

Patton looked sickened, and Roman somehow knew that he wasn't acting. This wasn't his fault.

"I was trying to help you, I didn't know he was going to invade the kingdom," Patton whispered. "Roman, you still don't understand, this magic could kill you. Do you know why I'm serving here?"

Roman shook his head.

"I used to live in a village just outside the kingdom walls, but it was attacked by a group of rogue sorcerers, and they burnt it to the ground. It was during a festival, and the only reason I survived is that they captured me. I think they wanted me to be a servant, but when the guards from Aigne captured them a few days later, I was sent here. Magic will do terrible things to everyone it touches. I didn't want you to be hurt."

"So what did you do?"

"When you two... bonded, I heard Logan say that, and I looked into the royal library. I figured out what it was, and that every sorcerer had to have one. I wondered about Virgil, so I was looking through even more records until I found a mention of a man that was bonded to Virgil. I cross referenced his name and found that he was actually another sorcerer, and king. King Deceit of Nathair. I asked if he could get rid of a bond, and he said yes. I just had to give him some information about the castle." He laughed dryly. "And I was stupid enough to do it."

Roman took Patton's hand. "Hey, it's alright. You weren't trying to hurt anyone, you were doing what you thought you had to to protect us. We'll be alright." He frowned. "So wait, the guy who invaded our kingdom... Deceit? Is bonded to Virgil?"

Patton nodded.

"Okay then. That just means we're going to work hard. Everything is going to be alright."

And the only people who knew he was lying was himself and Logan.


	10. Happier

It dragged on for days. Deceit was placing more guards throughout the kingdom, supervising every citizen and implementing rules.

At the castle, things had been relaxed by a small amount. Everyone except Logan and Virgil had been allowed to return to their chambers, even though the rooms had been ransacked for anything that could be used for resistance or anything other than the bare minimum to live. The sorcerers were moved to the chambers of an old advisor who hadn't been in the kingdom for months.

They could move around fairly freely, but always accompanied by guards, and pushed around if they tried going somewhere they apparently weren't allowed.

These were the conditions when Logan finally came to visit Roman.

He had his gray cloak, and lowered the hood when he was allowed in.

"Hey," he said weakly.

Roman smiled, just as weakly. "Hey yourself. Come here." He motioned to the bed next to him.

Logan sat down without a word. Neither boy spoke, simply gazing at the floor and feeling the weight of everything that was happening settling heavily in their bones. Finally, Roman offered his hand forward, and Logan laid his head on Roman's shoulder, with Roman's head on top of his own.

They sat there holding hands for a long time, allowing themselves to imagine that none of this was happening.

They imagined that they could just be together for once without consequence or judgment.

They imagined that they could trust the world.

They imagined that they could believe in themselves.

They imagined that they could be happy.

They imagined that they would be happy.

And then the door slammed open.


	11. Prophecy

Chapter 11: Prophecy

Deceit stood in the doorway, a lazy smile on his lips.

"Your Highness," he drawled. "Why don't you come with me? Bring your friend, if you'd like."

Roman and Logan stood, still holding hands. They didn't let go, even as they followed Deceit to the throne room.

He draped himself across the throne, his legs thrown up on the arm. With a flick of his hand, the guards behind Logan and Roman suddenly grabbed their arms and forced them to their knees.

"Tell me something, Crown Prince. Do you remember me?"

Roman scowled. "I don't happen to recall an evil dictator, no."

Deceit shook his head. "Oh no. I was here where you were a child, maybe ten odd years ago. Long enough to be forgotten in this miserable court."

Roman began to retort, but Deceit cut him off. "But there was one person who never forgot me." He waved a hand, and the guards brought in Virgil, hate burning thoroughly in his eyes. Roman shrunk closer to Virgil.

"I want information," Deceit continued. "I have almost complete control of this kingdom, and once I do, I'm going to tear it down brick by brick, and make you all watch."

"What did you do?" Logan barked suddenly.

"What?"

"Why did you leave, what made you so bitter?"

Deceit smiled slowly, as if recalling a pleasant memory. "I have a bond with Virgil. We were almost married. But then I found out who he really was. A murderer, and then a serial killer. He trained with Lili, a young, promising sorceress who had the potential to help so, so many people. And then, he killed her, by not stopping her from practicing necromancy-" his voice almost cracked, the first sign of emotion. "-just to bring back people who couldn't, shouldn't be dragged back to the land of the living.

"I left, I promised that I would make him pay. I have, so many times over."

Suddenly he was shouting. "But it wasn't enough! I killed Trevor, Natalie, Samuel, Adriana. His apprentices that he just sent out to die, to face nothing but cold hardship. But now, Logan, I will kill you too."

Logan locked eyes with Deceit. "Very well. But I believe that killing Virgil as well will be a better sacrifice than desecrating an entire kingdom."

Deceit laughed without humor. "And that is where you are wrong. I want to hear Virgil repent, I will continue until he begs me to stop, and I will watch him break. Only then will I release him."

Roman wondered how Virgil could stand this, Deceit standing over him and smashing his honor like a glass figurine. Then it occurred to him. Deceit probably said these things in Virgil's head all the time, he was used to it.

His next thought was aimed at Logan, and it surprised even him. "I promise I will never do that to you."

Logan looked at him. "Nor will I."

Suddenly, a crash broke the momentary silence. The queen appeared behind Deceit, swinging a sword towards his neck. But Deceit managed to jerk his head up, and the sword connected with the metal of Deceit's armor, and flew across the room.

Deceit turned to grab the queen, and Logan was moving towards him, chanting quickly. The fallen sword zipped towards him, and he swung, just as the queen hit Deceit from the other side.

The man exposed his neck for a second too long, and the queen slid backwards just as the blade went straight through Deceit's neck.

His head fell to the ground with a sickening thump, and there was silence.

The guards began to smoke, turning transparent and disappearing into steam.

"Magic," the queen whispered. "They were all a trick."

Virgil rose slowly, his hands still bound behind him. He muttered something, and the ropes dissolved. He gripped his head, breathing deeply. "He's gone. He's finally gone."

But only Roman could hear Logan, whose thoughts had turned from steely determination to deadly calm to panic.

His hands dropped the sword with a clatter, blood splattering across the tile. His hands were shaking.

Roman held his arms out without even thinking. Logan fell into them, trembling.

The queen swung around and looked at Logan with wide eyes.

"You killed the king! Without Deceit, his kingdom will fall. You've conquered a nation!" Her voice hit a hysterical note as she began to laugh. "Virgil, the prophecy is complete! You did it!"

"What?" Roman demanded, curling himself against Logan even as the sorcerer tried to get up.

"Going east, homeward bound.

Once was lost, now is found," the queen began chanting, as if she had said it a thousand times. Virgil's voice joined her.

"Here to hurt, here to lie.

This is why the king must die.

Going east, knowledge bound.

He will bring a king to the ground.

Trained in magic, trained in patience.

Is the boy who will conquer nations."

"A prophecy," Virgil said quickly. "It was foretold years ago. Deceit came east, homeward bound. He was lost for a while, now he's found. Here to hurt, here to lie, this is why the king must die." He stopped, mulling the words over.

"And me?" Logan asked. "Am I the focus of the second half of the prophecy?"

Virgil nodded. "You came east, bound for knowledge. You brought Deceit to the ground..." they all regarded the decapitated head on the floor. "You were trained in magic, I'm sure you trained yourself in patience, and like Scarlet said, you just conquered a nation."

Scarlet laughed again. "And here I was worried you were going to conquer this nation. You saved us."

Logan looked sheepish. "You brought the sword in. You would have been the one to kill him if it weren't for-"

"Fate," Virgil interjected. "This was all fate."

The doors to the throne room burst open, and guards rushed in. Aigne guards, ready to fight any force for their kingdom.

"Stand down," the queen said quickly. "The threat has already been taken of."

The next few hours were a whirlwind. The queen took her husband and Roman for several minutes to make an official appearance for the people, to assure them that they were still safe, but then they were released.

Roman grabbed Logan's hand. "Want to come back to my room?"

Logan nodded. They walked through hallways that were a bustle of trying to get people back their belongings and undoing the damage Deceit had done in his short rule.

Roman's room was messy, the drawers having been emptied and thrown on the floor, the sheets and blankets thrown off the bed, and things swept off shelves.

But there was Patton, next to a dresser, trying to organize things as they had been before. He bowed, muttering a formal greeting.

But Roman just rushed forward. "Patton! I'm so happy you're okay."

Patton hesitantly returned the hug. "Are you alright?"

Roman nodded. "I'm fine, thank you so much for trying to put things back together."

"I... apologize for being the cause of all of this." Patton looked at the floor. "I assume I'll be hung for treason."

Roman's hands tightened on Patton's arms. "No, you won't. It was a mistake, but I think that seeing all that it caused is punishment enough for you. I'll talk to my mother."

Patton looked confused. "Really? But-"

"I'm not going to let you die. You were just trying to keep me safe, let me return the favor."

Patton's eyes were wet. "Thank you, thank you so much."

"I'll take it from here, go sleep. I'm sure you could use it."

Patton nodded, and with one last hug to the prince, he left.

Roman caught Logan's eye. "Here, let me-" he began to try and wrestle his sheets back onto the bed. Logan stepped forward to help him. Together, they got everything back on the grand four-poster, and they sat down next to each other.

"Are you alright? I mean, you-"

"I killed a man," Logan finished. "Yeah. It had to be done. I'm just so surprised, I didn't...."

"You didn't even think about it, I know. I was just as surprised as you."

"Roman, do you think this could really work? Us, I mean?"

"If you're willing to, I am very ready to try to make it work. Besides, I'm the Crown Prince, I can just... fire anyone who makes an argument."

Logan smiled. "That is not an effective way of solving a problem."

Roman waved a hand. "It'll be fine. Besides, I'll have you to help me."

"I'll make sure not all your actions infuriate the court."

"I can deal with that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading my long, unfinished project that I finally wrote an ending for! Irrelevant for anyone reading this later, but I worked on this story on and off for almost a year. Be sure to leave kudos/comment!!


End file.
